Bay FC has a problem. They finished second-to-last in the NWSL last season with just 26 goals—the lowest in the entire league. But they might have just found the perfect solution.
Enter Cristiana Girelli, Italy's all-time leading scorer and the woman who just won the Serie A Women's Golden Boot. The 35-year-old Juventus legend is heading to California on loan through August 2026, and Bay FC fans should be excited.
This is a huge deal for a team that desperately needs firepower. Girelli has scored 250 goals across Italian clubs and notched 61 goals in 120 appearances for Italy. She's won three Golden Boots and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or last year. Those are serious credentials.
"The NWSL for me has always been a league that I believe is one of the best in the world, maybe the best," Girelli told Sports Illustrated. "Since the first call I had with the coach, I saw the ambitions of the club and I felt valued."
Why This Move Matters
For bettors watching Bay FC's 2026 season, this signing changes everything. A proven goal scorer joining the league's lowest-scoring team? That's the kind of move that could swing playoff odds significantly.
Bay FC made the playoffs in their debut 2024 season before crashing in 2025. Adding someone with Girelli's experience and scoring record gives them a real chance to bounce back. Head coach Emma Coates called her "an intelligent and proven goal scorer" with championship mentality.
Leaving Juventus after eight years wasn't easy for Girelli. Fans were shocked when rumors started circulating. "It's as if I'm leaving the love of a lifetime," she admitted. But after 20 years in Italy, she wanted one more big challenge before her career ends.
Part of a Growing Trend
Girelli becomes the fourth Italian player to jump from Serie A Women to the NWSL since last July. Sofia Cantore, Lisa Boattin, and Lucia Di Guglielmo all made similar moves recently. They've all told Girelli she'll love it in America.
She credits Italy's strong showing at the 2023 UEFA Women's Euros—where they reached the semifinals—for putting Italian players on the global map. "The Euros helped us to show who we are outside of Italy," she explained.
Girelli is blown away by NWSL stadium atmospheres and consistent sellout crowds. She dreams of bringing that energy back to Italian women's football someday. "When you play a sport, it's emotional, so you want to play in front of a big crowd," she said.
Before heading to California, Girelli will finish Italy's World Cup qualifiers against Sweden on March 3 and Denmark on March 7. Then it's goodbye to family, friends, and Italian coffee—at least for a while.
Bay FC opens their season at home on March 14 against expansion side Denver Summit FC. Girelli can't wait to get started. "I promise to give 100% every day for Bay," she said. With Bay's scoring struggles last season, they'll need every bit of that effort.
